Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn of all creation;

for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created,

things visible and invisible,

whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—

all things have been created through him and for him.

He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

He is the head of the body, the church;

he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,

so that he might come to have first place in everything.

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things,

whether on earth or in heaven,

by making peace through the blood of his cross.

—from Colossians 1:15-20, NRSV

Our world, broken and scarred, still belongs to God,

With the whole creation we join the song:

He has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God,

God will be all in all, righteousness and peace will flourish,

—from Our World Belongs to God, st. 17, 58

 

Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God.
All things have been created through him and for him.

He himself is before all things.
In him all things hold together.

He is the head of the body, the church,
so that he might come to have first place in everything.

The music complements the text perfectly, with simple chords and a low-range melody in the verses that are answered by the expanded range and energy of the refrain. The song is best accompanied by a praise band, but can also effectively be led by just piano or guitar.

(from Reformed Worship, Issue 83)

“The First Place” is a recasting of Colossians 1:15-20, portraying Christ’s reign over heaven, earth and our hearts. After establishing the supremacy of Christ in the verses, the refrain bursts into the Kuyperian exclamation, “Every inch of this universe belongs to you, O Christ.” The refrain concludes with personal application “So you must have in all things the first place”—that is, if Christ’s supremacy is displayed throughout all creation, certainly he should also reign in our lives. The music complements the text perfectly, with simple chords and a low-range melody in the verses that are answered by the expanded range and energy of the refrain. The song is best accompanied by praise band, but can also effectively be led by just piano or guitar. The song’s composer, Matthew Westerholm, is a graduate of Trinity International University. Westerholm was on worship ministry staff at Harvest Bible Chapel when he wrote this and has since joined the faculty of Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

This is an intentional pairing of the contemporary with the traditional that can serve a diverse congregation well. Combine the contemporary hymn, Lift Up Your Hearts #15 “The First Place”, with the traditional hymn, Lift Up Your Hearts #17 “Beautiful Savior.”

 

Instrumentation suggestion:

Interlude:

Greg Scheer (b. 1966) has composed hundreds of pieces, songs and arrangements. His music is published by Augsburg Fortress, GIA, Abingdon Press, Worship Today, Faith Alive and in numerous hymnals. He has won commissions from the Iowa Choral Directors Association, Iowa Composers Forum, Linn-Mar High School String Orchestra, Chagall String Quartet and Northwestern College. His electronic piece, "Crossfade," was included on the CD ...from everlasting to everlasting... His string quartet "6" was featured on WQED in Pittsburgh and was also a winning composition in the 2000 Southeastern Composers' Symposium. His hymn "People of the Lord" won the Calvin09 hymn contest and was subsequently sung and published internationally.

Matthew Westerholm is a pastor, composer, pianist, and educator, currently serving as Pastor for Worship and Music at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. Before moving to Minneapolis, he was Director of Worship Arts and Dean of the Chapel at Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, Michigan., and before that, worship pastor at Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadow, Illinois. He holds a BA in church music and music from Trinity International University (1997), an MA in Systematic Theology, summa cum laude from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary (2012), and hopes to complete a PhD in Christian worship at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2016. He contributed an arrangement for Headley’s album Audience of One, which won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album.

 

In 2012, Matthew received the Baker Book House Award. Matthew Westerholm co-published a chapter with Joel Beeke in “A Pruitan Theology: Doctrine for Life.” He also has published an article, “The ‘Cream of Creation’ and the ‘Cream of Faith’: The Lord’s Supper as a Means of Assurance in Puritan Thought.”